The present invention relates to attachment systems and methods for land preparation tools, such as cutting, grinding, mulching, and/or shredding tools, more particularly tool interfaces for attachments to powered vehicles.
Land preparation and clearing machines and apparatus such as forestry machines and apparatus are utilized for clearing land, creating paths, and otherwise removing debris, brush, trees, vegetation, soil, concrete, asphalt, rock, and/or other materials, making the land suitable for further development or use. To carry out these tasks, such machines can be fitted with land preparation attachments or apparatus operable to mulch, cut, shred, and/or grind vegetation, brush, trees, stumps, soil, concrete, asphalt, rock, and other materials.
In particular, the apparatus may be integrally or detachably attached to a tractor, skid steer, or other vehicle to facilitate articulation and movement of the mowing apparatus with respect to the vegetation. Often, the vehicle is a multi-purpose vehicle having the capability to be fitted with any of a variety of attachments suitable for the task at hand. For example, the vehicle can include a common connection for connecting to and driving the apparatus such as brush cutters, rotary mowers, shredders, grinders, and crushers. Such land preparation and clearing apparatus can be hydraulically driven via hydraulic power from the vehicle. One illustrative type of land preparation and clearing apparatus is known as a “flail mower” which utilizes a rotatable axle with either swinging or fixed position cutting tools (often known as “flails”).